All of You
by saoirse09
Summary: It didn't matter how it had started. All that mattered was that it had, indeed, started. Gabriel, Archangel of the Lord and former Trickster, was sleeping with Sam Winchester, hunter and reluctant true vessel of Lucifer. A "no strings, just [really great, amazing, wonderful] sex" situation. And, Gabriel reflected, that right there was exactly the problem.
1. Chapter 1

It didn't matter _how_ it had started. All that mattered was that it had, indeed, started. Gabriel, Archangel of the Lord and former Trickster, was sleeping with Sam Winchester, hunter and reluctant true vessel of Lucifer. A "no strings, just [really great, amazing, wonderful] sex" situation. And, Gabriel reflected, that right there was exactly the problem. Not the sex, no. That part was really great, amazing, and wonderful. But the "no strings" bit… that wasn't so much. Well, it had been, to begin with. It was fun and something they both wanted. The longer it went on, though, the more Gabriel discovered that it just wasn't enough. He would catch himself staring at Sam when the hunter wasn't looking, thinking things he had no right to even consider, what with the fundamental nature of a "friends with benefits" situation and all. But it was when Gabriel caught himself wondering just how it would feel to hold Sam's hand, nothing else, just hand holding, that he realized how thoroughly screwed he was, figuratively speaking. And, loathe as he was to admit it, he didn't know how to proceed. He knew Sam preferred love to lust, but the hunter seemed fairly happy with things as they were and the mixed signals were starting to make Gabriel's head hurt. Sam was pretty much the only thing in any dimension that could confuse him so completely. He was, unfortunately, going to need a little help with this…


	2. Chapter 2

Dean was digging through his duffle when he heard a soft, barely there flutter of wings. Without looking up, he called, "Hey, Cas, you haven't seen my silver knife anywhere, have you? Cas?" When he got no answer, Dean straightened up and looked around. And then had to stifle a groan at the sight of the familiar short figure leaning against the wall.

Gabriel smirked. "Wrong angel," he said.

"Wrong Winchester," Dean retorted with a scowl. "Sam's at the library."

Gabriel's smirk grew imperceptibly larger. "Good to know," he replied, "But it was actually you I wanted to talk to, Dean-o."

This time, Dean didn't bother to suppress his groan. This was not how he wanted to spend his morning. "Whaddya want, Gabriel?" he almost growled.

The archangel straightened up from where he was propped against the wall as the smirk on his face rearranged itself into something almost serious (Dean didn't think the former Trickster could manage totally serious even if he tried). "So, I'm sure you already know this, but just to start off on the same page, Sam and I have been having sex…" he started.

Dean didn't let him finish, holding up his hands as if to shield himself from Gabriel's words, and sputtering a little. "Woah, woah, woah, hold it. Dude, I do _not_ want to talk about my brother's sex life. It's bad enough we had to start getting separate motel rooms and that I can _still_ hear you two through the walls. I definitely do not need to hear _about_ what you guys get up to in the sack," Dean groused.

Gabriel rolled his eyes. "Believe it or not, that's one conversation I'm more than willing to never have with you, no matter how fun your subsequent mental scars might be. No, what I want…" The archangel took a deep breath he didn't need, like he was steeling himself to do something unpleasant. "I _need_ advice about Sam."

Dean stared at him, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "…sex advice? Because dude…"

Gabriel sighed in exasperation. "No, numbnuts, not sex advice. I've been slumming it with you humans for millennia, I think I can handle all of _that_ myself, thanks. What I… need… is relationship advice."

Stunned silence reigned. Dean blinked a few times as Gabriel's words registered. "Relatio… Dude, I thought Sam said you two were just fuckbuddies? No strings –"

"Just sex, yeah," Gabriel cut in, rolling his eyes. Trying to have an actual conversation with Dean could make a saint contemplate murder, and Gabriel hadn't even been close to sainthood for thousands of years. "That's what I needed advice about, Dean, because it just ain't cuttin' it anymore."

Again, Dean reacted before thinking, "Wait, are you ending it with Sam? Are you seriously asking my advice on how to ditch my baby brother? Because if you hurt him, I will end you. I –"

The glare that the archangel shot at Dean could easily have been full of real daggers. Fortunately for Dean, Gabriel still needed his help so he just snapped and a piece of hot pink duct tape appeared across the hunter's mouth, effectively cutting him off mid-tirade. Dean's eyes crossed as he attempted to see what was stuck to his face. Gabriel was still glaring. "Would you just listen for a minute, you idiot? Dear Dad, Sam really is the smart one; at least he usually pays attention when someone's talking. I am _not_ trying to ditch you brother, I'm trying to date him!"

Upon hearing the archangel's frustrated exclamation, Dean stopped attempting to peel the magicked-on tape from his face. His eyes widened and he started shaking with what could only be silent laughter.

After a moment in which he contemplated just flying off and leaving Dean with his hot pink muzzle for a while (a seriously appealing idea), Gabriel reluctantly snapped the tape off the giggling hunter's mouth. "Wanna share what's so funny with the rest of the class, Dean-o?" he growled.

"You – you wanna date Sam and you need my advice on how to do it? Dude, just go ask him. Easy as pie," Dean managed, between snorts and snickers.

Gabriel blinked at Dean a few times, a little taken aback. It couldn't be that simple, could it? Of course it couldn't, because, "The whole 'friends with benefits' thing was Sam's idea in the first place. And, judging by the way he jumps my bones the minute I show up, I don't think he wants more than sex. So, I need your advice on how to convince him that he does," he explained.

The giggles that Dean almost had control over broke out again. As usual, he had latched onto only one part of what had been said and run with it. "'Friends with benefits'? What, does he get, like, insurance? Retirement?" The hunter doubled over again, amused at his own, for lack of a better term, _hilarity_. Gabriel merely glared at him, fighting the temptation to snap the duct tape back in place. Finally, Dean wiped at his eyes, calming his laughter just enough to speak coherently. "Okay, you really want my advice?"

Gabriel's fingers were twitching impatiently but he nodded and Dean continued, "I already gave it to you. Just go tell him. I know my brother and he is not cut out for one night stands and _definitely_ not for only being someone's fuckbuddy. He can fall for someone faster than you can say 'emotional attachment issues.' If you're starting to want more, I'm 99% sure Sam is already head over heels for you." Dean paused, considering something, then continued, "Besides, he's been moping for a couple weeks now. He thinks he does it when no one is watching, but he's no good at hiding it from me. I was starting to wonder why he was being more emo than normal. Now I know. He's pining, I guarantee it."

The archangel was silent for a long moment as he processed this rush of information. A slow grin spread across his features and he looked like the cat that got the cream. "You said Sam's at the library?" he asked. Dean nodded. "Excellent. Thanks for the advice, Dean-o. You've been a big help. Oh, and thanks for letting me borrow this," Gabriel grinned. With a snap and rustle of feathers, he was gone.

Dean stared, bemused, down at the silver knife suddenly in his hand. If he didn't know the guy, he'd have thought Gabriel sounded almost… sincere. Regardless, Dean scowled and muttered to the room at large, "I meant what I said, though, Gabriel, you hurt Sam and I _will_ end you." He swore he could almost hear a snickering chuckle drift through the room.


	3. Chapter 3

As the echo of his snap disappeared in a drab motel room across town, Gabriel appeared near the research tables at the library. He scanned the room for a familiar mop of brown hair and smiled when he spotted it at a table tucked into a corner and facing the door. Those Winchesters, always concerned with defensive tactics, even at the library, of all places.

Gabriel snapped his way into the chair across from Sam and waited for the hunter to notice him. Sam was deep into his research, so it took a few seconds for him to realize he was no longer alone. Gabriel knew the moment he'd been made, however, noting the way Sam's eyes stopped tracking whatever he was reading, the slight tensing of his shoulders as Sam reached for the knife hidden in his boot. Slowly, the hunter moved his gaze up. Gabriel smirked as those captivating hazel eyes finally locked with his own golden ones and Sam relaxed when he realized who was across from him.

"Hey, Samsquatch," Gabriel said, still smiling.

"Hey, Gabe," replied Sam, the beginnings of his own smile stretching across his features. But that smile stopped in its tracks as a realization hit him. Sam's eyes widened. "What are you doing here, Gabriel?" he demanded.

"Relax, kiddo," the archangel answered, "I'm just here to see you."

That answer did nothing to help Sam relax. If anything, he became more agitated, glancing around wildly to ensure they were alone before hissing, "Gabriel, if you're here for the reason I think you are… I'm not having sex with you in a library!"

Gabriel rolled his eyes. "As fun as that sounds, Sammy-boy, and, believe me, we might have to try it later, it's not actually why I'm here." At that, the tension in Sam's shoulders began to melt away, only to rush back at Gabriel's next words. "No," he continued, "I'm here because we need to have a chat." The former Trickster sounded almost as serious as Sam had ever heard him and his amber eyes had lost their usual mischievous glint.

"A… chat?" repeated the hunter, wariness writ large across his features.

Gabriel nodded. "Yeah, about us," he answered, "This thing we've got going on, kiddo… it needs to change. It's not what I want anymore. It's just not… enough."

Had Gabriel not been so nervous that all he could do was stare down at his own twitching fingers, he might have noticed the way Sam's face fell with each word that passed the archangel's lips. As it was, he didn't look up until the deafening silence morphed into the soft rustling of papers being gathered together and the light click of a laptop being closed. He swiftly raised his head, only to be met with the sight of a crestfallen Sam slowly packing up his research.

"…Sam?"

The hunter stilled, then sighed before answering, "It's… it's fine. I get it. I knew you'd get bored of m—of _this_ sooner or later. So I—I understand. It's okay. I'll just—"

Gabriel, who had been listening to Sam's rambling with growing confusion, almost laughed in relief when the realization hit him. Sam thought he was breaking things off. And the hunter was clearly unhappy about it. Maybe Dean had been right, for once. A strange feeling spread from the center of Gabriel's chest, quickly moving throughout his body and, what's more, through his grace. A light, almost giddy, feeling. It took the archangel a moment to identify the emotion simply because he hadn't felt it in ages, not since long before he left Heaven. It was hope. For the first time in millennia, Gabriel was hopeful.

But then Sam stood up, research and laptop in hand, obviously taking Gabriel's silence as confirmation of all his fears. Gabriel shook himself out of his reverie and shot a hand out, grasping Sam's wrist. The hunter paused, eyes hidden behind his bangs, and quietly said, "Gabriel, please let go."

The archangel let out a small huff of air. "Sam, you misunderstand me," he started, willing the hunter to look at him. Slowly, Sam's head turned, shuttered hazel locking with soft, hopeful amber. "When I say I want more, I don't mean somewhere else or with someone else. What I mean is…" Gabriel took a deep, unnecessary but still absolutely needed, breath. The moment of truth. "I want you. More of _you_. All of you, in fact. Every smile, every laugh, and every last doubt and insecurity swimming around in that pretty head of yours. All of it, kiddo," Gabriel finished, the corners of his mouth twitching up into a quiet smile.

Sam collapsed heavily back into the chair he'd just vacated, staring at the being across from him. He was visibly surprised, if the wide-eyed, slack-jawed gaze was anything to go by. Blinking a few times, he swallowed, before finally managing to ask weakly, "So, when you said… you—you meant…" he trailed off, clearly still lost for words.

Gabriel breathed out a laugh and shook his head fondly. "You're gonna make me spell it out for you, huh, kiddo? What I mean is… I love you, Sam. I love you. I love your stupid floppy hair and your dopey grin and every last one of your bitchfaces. I love your curiosity and your intelligence and your compassion. Hell, I even love the way your eyes flash when you're angry. I crave the look of triumph in your eyes after a successful hunt. And that slump in your shoulders when one didn't go so well makes me want to pull you close and never let go. And I want all of that, Sam, everything – every public display of affection, every argument we might possibly ever have, every bit of domesticity I can wring out of this. Dad help me, I love you."

Stunned silence followed this wall of words. Sam sat so still, save for the rapid blinking of his eyes, that Gabriel seriously feared he may have broken the hunter. The moment stretched… and stretched… and stretched, Sam just blinking and breathing shallowly. It got to the point that Gabriel's nerves began to resurface and he was suddenly decidedly less sure of himself. "Uh… Sam? Sammy? Kiddo?" he waved his hand in front of Sam's nose, trying to bring the hunter back to reality. "This, uh, this would be when you say, uh… something?" When Sam continued to do nothing but stare blankly, the archangel was tempted to reach out and see what was going on in the hunter's perplexing brain. But Sam had once asked him, quite earnestly, to stay out of his head. Gabriel had correctly assumed it reminded the young hunter of Lucifer's mind invasions and had sworn he would stop; it was one promise the archangel fully intended to keep, no matter how badly he needed to know.

He gave Sam a moment longer, hoping those usually bright hazel eyes would refocus. They didn't. Gabriel finally sighed and lifted his hand to snap himself away, regret lacing his tone as he said, "Um, okay, I guess, uh… I'll – I'll go, then…"

Whether it was the words or the motion that finally got Sam's attention, Gabriel would never know. But just before he managed to gather his will and snap his fingers, Sam's eyes shifted, hazel sliding over to gaze at amber, and he placed his hand atop the archangel's. Gabriel stilled instantly, caught by the intensity of the hunter's stare. Sam swallowed. "Gabriel, wait. I… I love you, too," the confession was soft, almost reverential, the edges of the words going a little fuzzy. "I love you," Sam repeated with more certainty, "And everything you just said? I want that, too. With you. I have for a while now. And… um… yeah…" he trailed off, seemingly at a loss for anything more to say.

But it didn't matter; Gabriel had heard all he needed to. The grin that stretched across his face was as bright as grace-light, maybe brighter. The archangel shifted the hand still gripped by his human just enough to tangle their fingers together and gently squeezed. His voice was quiet, wondering, when he asked, "Why didn't you say something, kiddo?"

Sam quickly looked down, a flush rising up his cheeks, his shoulders hunching, the very picture of embarrassment. Even with angelic super-hearing, Gabriel almost had to strain to hear his next words. "I didn't think you wanted anything else and… I didn't want to lose you," he whispered.

"Oh, Sammy," Gabriel breathed, "I thought the same thing about you."

Something in Gabriel's tone made Sam glance up through his bangs. At what he saw, his eyes widened and he took in a quick gasp of air. The archangel's face was full of so many emotions, almost too many to name. There was happiness, certainly, and a sort of sheepish amusement, perhaps a realization of time lost. But, mostly, there was a warm tenderness, liquid and sweet like melted chocolate; Gabriel's eyes glowed gold with it and Sam couldn't look away.

After a moment, Gabriel's mouth twitched at the corners and Sam's began to do the same. Before long, both angel and human were giggling hysterically, though they tried to stay quiet; they were in a library, after all. The resultant laughter was an odd combination of high-pitched whimper-whines and snorting gasps.

After long minutes of hilarity born of happiness and relief, they calmed, their eyes never leaving each other's faces, drinking in the moment. Slowly, Gabriel began to lean across the table. Sam met him halfway and their lips met in a kiss unlike any they had ever shared. It was chaste, sweet, and unhurried – such a simple thing, that kiss, and yet it held the promise of so much more.

As they pulled away, Gabriel brought his hand up to Sam's cheek, thumb gently stroking, fingers just brushing the edges of Sam's hair. The hunter sighed, opening eyes he hadn't realized he'd closed, hazel seeking out amber once more. Though neither realized it, they were both admiring the play of light in the other's eyes, the little flecks of color they rarely had the time to study.

Their gazes held a moment longer, then Gabriel shook himself, as if waking from a pleasant dream. With a snap of his fingers, he was in a chair next to Sam, his human watching him, only a little bemused, as he opened the hunter's laptop and started shuffling through the papers abandoned on the table. "So, Sam-a-lam, what monster-of-the-week are we hunting today?"

The archangel's words nudged Sam back to reality and he enjoyed a moment of contented surprise before replying, "Oh, yeah, so get this…"

Several moments later, when Gabriel quietly reached over, still listening intently to Sam's latest theory, and twined his hand with Sam's, the hunter just smiled around his words and tangled his fingers more tightly with the archangel's. Gabriel glanced at Sam's smile out of the corner of his eye, then down at their joined hands. A soft grin lit his face. He could get used to this.


End file.
